Orthodox Jewish Women Eating Disorders

Experts say eating disorders underreported among Orthodox Jewish women.
The AP (12/11) reported, "Health experts say eating disorders are a serious, underreported disease among Orthodox Jewish women and to a lesser extent others in the Jewish community, as many families are reluctant to acknowledge the illness at all and often seek help only when a girl is on the verge of hospitalization." Sadly, "as eating disorders have become less taboo in mainstream US culture, they're still widely ignored in Orthodox Jewish communities, as families worry the stigma of mental illness could ruin arranged marriages for the patient and even her siblings. Strict food rituals of fasting and remaining kosher can also exacerbate the problem."